“I’m the first to admit that Apple’s new AirPod earphones resemble Q-tips dangling from my lobes. Or maybe robotic ear antennas,” Geoffrey A. Fowler writes for The Wall Street Journal. “But I think you’ll get over looking like a cyborg and want a pair anyway.”

“Before they finally started shipping this week, I had the chance to use a set of $160 AirPods for three months,” Fowler writes. “They aren’t perfect, but they quickly became my favorite earbuds. I’ll go further: AirPods are Apple’s best new product in years.”

“For most people, the advice is easy: Buy the AirPods. They’re among the least expensive totally wireless earbuds I tested, yet no other could compete with their one-two-three punch of simplicity, sound and call quality,” Fowler writes. “The AirPods get little things right. Take them out of their case, and they’re ready to play music or take a call. Back in the case and they’re off; no messing with buttons. The AirPods run for 5 hours, and the case is also a battery pack that can keep recharging them. You basically have to plug in the case only about once a week.”

“The AirPods have never fallen out of my ears. I can go for a run, or head bang like Metallica, and they stay in there,” Fowler writes. “They also stayed in every one of my colleagues’ ears.”

As for the AirPods looking alien: Tape a pair of wires on the ends of each and you’ll see that they look very much like the type of earphones that everyone is very used to seeing by now (which, for those who remember, we weren’t used to seeing before iPod – people thought those looked “alien,” too). We’ll all get used to the lack of wires soon enough. — MacDailyNews, September 14, 2016

I’m not sure anyone cares what you stick in your ears. You have tried anything else other than your five-year old Sennheisers and what you have to say is”nothing new here”? Actually quite a bit is new and you have said nothing of value or made sense … nothing new there.

Well, congrats to the EarPods team for shipping a compelling product. And congrats to the WSJ for its sly backhanded complement to Apple. Because it’s kinda sad when EarPods are the best product Apple has put out in years.

I couldn’t wait any longer (they’re still impossible to find in stores, and the order delay nows stretches into February), so a couple of weeks ago I bought a pair of Sol Republic’s Air Amps, and they’re fantastic. They’re completely wireless, just like the AirPods without any connecting wires. They don’t have dongles hanging down like the AirPods, and they’re designed to fill the entire ear. They sound *much* better than the Apple EarPods, with much richer bass. So far the Bluetooth has been rock solid reliable. If you can find them, I highly recommend them (they’re on sale right now at BestBuy…).

I have the AirPods, they are noticeably better than the EarPods sound wise. If you own an iPhone and want wireless earbuds, the AirPods are the only serious choice. Virtually everything else is more expensive, offers less connectivity, reliability and shorter battery life.

Yes, they are better – mid range is fuller with a bit more base.
Another point…if you are doing any physical work, no wires is a blessing. Third day today with the AirPods in the workshop has transformed my work. No sudden earplug withdrawal or the sickening sound of your phone being ripped out of a pocket before catapulting to the floor. I’m now forgetting to take my phone with me since the Bluetooth range is so good.